The village
by Celonhael
Summary: InuYasha and his friends find a village, and the inhabitants are not what they expected. please visit my author's page to know what has happened previously in my "episodes". I apologise for the many email alerts sent out over this story, oopsie
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note - (_Please forgive any spelling or punctuation errors in the last half of this story. For some reason, the formatting decided to die, and I had to reneter it all again, so I may have missed something.)_

The day was dismal, wet and cold.  
That, in itself, was a reason to smile.  
The lands that had been scorched so badly, the lands that were so dry, drank in the rain greedily. If one stood still, they could almost _hear_ the ground sighing with relief as the rains fell, spattering on the dusty soil.  
The only problem was that the rain didn't last long enough to really do any good. It rained for about an hour, and then drizzled to a stop.  
The kitsune child sat in the window of Lady Kaede's hut, peering outward, his large green eyes worried.  
"Well, it _started_ raining, but it stopped again. I don't think it's going to do any good."  
Kaede poked at the fire with a long stick, stirring up the embers, "No, it won't. Not enough for the crops, anyway. Just enough to raise the hopes of the farmers, and that's all."  
Shippo turned, looking back at Kaede, "I'm getting worried, Kaede. Has it ever gone this long before, without raining?"  
"Not in my lifetime, Shippo. It's not a good sign of things to come."  
Shippo looked back out of the small hut, his eyes scanning the lands before him, dotted here and there with other small huts.  
"Hey, where did Farmer Hauto's sheep go? He used to have a whole bunch of them out there, and now I only see a few."  
Kaede was quiet for a few minutes, and then spoke gently, "He killed some, Shippo."  
Shippo blinked, and looked back at Kaede, "What? Why? It wasn't time for them to even give wool yet! Were they sick?"  
Kaede looked at the child gently, "No...and yes, Shippo. He had to kill the ones that weren't doing so well."  
"I don't understand. You said they weren't sick."  
"They weren't...but the grass is drying up. The animals can't get enough to eat, and so, in order to save some of his flock, the farmer killed off the weaker ones. That way there will be more grass for the stronger ones, and maybe they will survive."  
Shippo stared at Kaede in shock for a second, before quickly looking away. But he wasn't fast enough for Kaede to miss the startled tears in the kitsune child's eyes.  
"Well that's not fair," Shippo said quietly.  
"No, it isn't," Kaede said softly, "But life often isn't fair, Shippo. And...well...in a way, the farmer did them a kindness."  
"How!?"  
"They died quickly. They won't be hungry or thirsty anymore. When we're responsible for animals, Shippo, sometimes we have to look at what their lives are like, and what they will be like. And if we see they're going to suffer...and there's nothing we can do to prevent that suffering....sometimes the kindest thing we can do is make sure they die before they suffer very much. And die easily."  
Shippo's breath hitched as he fought not to cry.  
"Come on, Shippo," Kaede said gently, "I could use some help in taking the scales off these fish. InuYasha and the others will be back soon, and I imagine they'll be hungry."  
Shippo jumped down from the window, wiping his eyes on his sleeve, and settled down beside the old woman, "They sure are taking a long time hunting down that demon. I hope everything is going ok."  
Kaede smiled, "I'm sure whatever it is, they're doing just fine."

_"WindScar!"_  
Tetsusaiga's attack flashed outward, aiming towards the giant Oni. The beast was huge, a dark red skin and yellow eyes, a single horn jutting from it's forhead. Tattered, rotten skins hung from it's waist for clothing, and it carried a massive club in it's hand.  
The Windscar ripped along the ground, tearing up dirt and leaves as it went, before striking the ground before the Oni. The Oni screamed in rage, and threw it's massive weapon at the hanyou.  
"InuYasha, look out!" Miroku called.  
InuYasha had seen the weapon, though, and easily leapt over the missile, grinning.  
"Is that the best you can do?" he taunted, landing again, resting his sword on one shoulder.  
"Don't start getting cocky, InuYasha," Miroku warned.  
"Oh come on," the hanyou said, glancing towards Miroku, "I can handle things bigger than this."  
"Still," the Kageri said, phasing into place alongside Kagome, "It is always best to never taunt an enemy until you are sure of it's abilities."  
InuYasha's face darkened, and he turned towards DarkWind, "Yeah? Listen up, when I want your advice, I'll ask for it, understand?"  
Kagome stepped forward, "InuYasha, look out!"  
InuYasha turned back in time to see the Oni's club come swinging down. It caught the hanyou full-on, knocking him backwards into the forest.  
"InuYasha!"  
"See?" DarkWind shrugged.  
"Not now, DarkWind," Kagome breathed, as she ran past the Kageri. She had only taken a few steps before a crimson streak flashed out of the treeline; InuYasha, bearing back down on the Oni.  
"That's it, you bastard! This time you're going down!"  
He planted his feet, and again sent the WindScar ripping outwards towards the Oni. The yellow light enveloped the demon, and engulfed it entirely. The demon screamed, before being burned away. When the WindScar rippled out, there was only a black mark on the ground, and a scorched smell left behind.  
"Well," Sango said, walking up and gazing downwards at the mark, "That's the fourth Oni we've killed this past week. Strange."  
"Yes," Miroku nodded, "It's strange indeed."  
"What's strange?" InuYasha sheathed his sword, and walked towards them.  
"That we've killed four Oni in one week."  
"What's strange about it?"  
Miroku rested his staff against a nearby tree, "Well...we all know that Oni are solitary demons. They don't gather together like some other demons...in fact, they seem to actively avoid each other's presence. Yet we've killed several in 1 week, and all within a close radius of each other."  
"You think they're gathering for something?" Kagome asked.  
"I don't know...I don't even know if it's important," Miroku eyes seemed distant, as if he were looking at something far away....or far in the past, "I just find it odd."  
"Well, no matter. This one is as dead as the others," InuYasha said, nodding, "Come on, let's head on to the next village. The farmers in that last one said the next one was bring bothered by an Oni as well."  
"InuYasha," Sango said, as she fell into step beside the hanyou, "Do you think you can talk to the next one before you attack it?"  
"Talk to it?" InuYasha blinked, glancing at her, "They're not exactly a chattery bunch."  
Sango smiled, "I know. Still....like Miroku, I find the close quarters of all these Oni odd. I'm hoping it might tell us something."  
"We can always try," Miroku smiled at her.  
"What is it you're hoping it will tell you, anyway?"  
Sango looked thoughtful for a few minutes, then spoke, "Well, why they seem to be grouping, for one thing. What's going on, if they have plans."  
"You honestly think that if they do have something planned they're going to tell you?"  
The demon-slayer shrugged, "It can't hurt to ask, really. And some of them can be quite dense. One might actually tell you."  
InuYasha shrugged. He didn't think it was likely, but he was willing to try for Sango's sake.  
The group regathered their things, and set out again, this time heading away from Kaede's village, and toward what appeared to be another village. This one was bigger. While it didn't seem rich, it wasn't poor either. It seemed to be doing well enough, despite the drought.  
"We need to ask the people here if they've seen anything," Kagome explained to DarkWind's confused look, "We'll head back to Kaede's in a bit. If there are any more Oni around, we need to be sure they're taken care of."  
"Ah."  
As they walked farther into the village, Miroku glanced around, "Odd. The fields here seem to be doing better than the others."  
Sango nodded, "Yes, I noticed that as well. You can see the ground is still dry, but the plants are at least still growing. I wonder why?"  
Kagome looked carefully at Sango and Miroku, "Do you guys sense anything? Some sort of demonic presence?"  
InuYasha blinked at her, scoffing, "A demonic presence? A demon that causes plants to grow?"  
Kagome's face suddenly turned red, "You don't know. It's possible!"  
InuYasha suddenly swallowed, and cursed his tongue, "Yeah....sorry. You're right."  
Miroku and Sango exchanged an unhappy glance, and moved on. Kagome took a deep breath, and nodded, smiling a little at him, "It's ok." She turned and caught up to Sango before the hanyou could begin talking.  
InuYasha fell into step behind the others, cursing himself in his mind. It seemed a losing battle. Kagome was never going to feel for him the same way again. He had ruined what had been a perfect thing. And what was worse, no matter how hard he tried, he was still uneasy around her. He still snapped, or spoke without thinking.  
It was like he was slipping back into his old ways, the way he was before he met and accepted them all. After they had killed Naraku and had been faced with this new him and Kagome had grown closer and closer, he had seen the change in himself. He had been calmer. Gentler. More at ease with himself, and even with others. Now it was like he was going back to his sarcastic, nasty ways. And he didn't want to be like that anymore.  
InuYasha sighed mentally. He knew he wasn't ever going to be perfect. He was half demon, and that half of him would always be wild. Aggressive. Quick to anger, quick to speak, slow to calm, slow to think. But before he had seen there was real hope that he could really, honestly, _get along_ with people, even complete _strangers_.  
Now he was losing that again.  
_Her presence always sort the demon part of me. Now I'm losing that._  
He watched her walk, talking to Sango. The demon slayer said something, and Kagome laughed, tipping her head back a little, the sun shining on her face and throat.  
_How do I win you back, Kagome? Please give me a hint._  
"It's a nice village," Miroku was saying, "The houses have recently been repaired and even painted. Look at that garden. There are flowers here. Its like a little paradise growing here."  
InuYasha fell into place beside the monk, "Yeah, and its still weird, isn't it? I dont smell anything, and I dont smell Oni either. No demon scents. Nothing."  
Miroku spoke lowly, surprising InuYasha. The monk seemed to want only the hanyou to hear him, "I sense something, but I can't identify it, whatsoever."  
InuYasha flicked his ears, and glanced at the monk, "What's it like? I mean, there must be something you can compare it to?"  
"Wel.....lyes."  
"And?"  
There was a pause, and then Miroku spoke, "It's akin to the presence of DarkWind."  
InuYasha felt his hackles rise, and he calmly placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, murmuring, "You saying there's another Kageri here?"  
"No, it's not like that at all. It's like DarkWind, but so much fainter. Weaker."  
InuYasha said nothing, understanding now why Miroku had spoken for his ears only. The women trusted DarkWind completely. It was only himself and Miroku who really knew the danger the Kageri could pose.  
"A Kageri that's been here a while ago? We know Naraku has one now, that bastard..." InuYasha inwardly shuddered. Seeing Naraku again, having risen from the dead....and now with a Kageri...  
"No," Miroku's voice sounded annoyed with himself, "Not like that either, I just can't.."  
"Alright. We'll keep our eyes and ears open, see what happens."  
They broke off speaking, as a small group of people were walking towards them. One man wore a dark blue silk robe, and his long white wispy beard betrayed his age. His face, however, was open and honest appearing. He smiled at them.  
"Well.....greetings to you, young ones. Welcome to our village."


	2. Chapter 2

"Our thanks," By silent mutual consent, Miroku had by now become the group's spokesperson. His natural charm and gentle nature always put strangers at ease, not to mention the fact he wore a monk's robes, "We were just admiring your village. So clean and tidy."  
The old man smiled, revealing a few gaps in his teeth, "We pride ourselves on our appearance here."  
"I can see that."  
InuYasha began to notice that others were gathering now, to listen to what the newcomers had to say. Would it be news? Warnings? Were they dangerous, perhaps? As the group gathered, the hanyou felt his grip on his sword tighten slightly.  
_Stop it!_ he cursed at himself, _You're not going back to that!_  
Swallowing with a little difficulty, InuYasha forced back his instinct, and released his grip on his sword. These people were harmless peasants. He refused to distrust them on sight.  
One of the men following in the steps of the old man spoke up now, a little hesitantly. He was losing his hair, and his face was a wreath of wrinkles, yet he seemed younger than the older man. Most like a farmer, having spent long days under a hot sun.  
"We haven't seen many strangers this way in a while…..may we ask what brings you here?"  
Miroku spoke again, "We have been hunting Oni in this area, my friends and I. They seem to be gathering. We were wondering if you have any information you may pass on to us."  
"Information?" the old man asked.  
"Anything," MIroku said, with a smile, "Have you seen any Oni, for instance? Heard of any around here? Have any demons been causing trouble?"  
The old man scratched his bald head, and Kagome was instantly reminded of the old Sword Master, Totosai.  
"Mmmmm, I don't think so. At least I haven't, and anything like that usually is passed along to me. Oni, you say?"  
"That's right."  
"We don't need to worry about Oni here," the wrinkled man said, kindly.  
"What do you mean, you don't have to worry about them?" InuYasha suddenly asked, "They're _Oni_. They don't show up for picnics."  
The old man, the leader, turned, and regarded InuYasha closely, drawing his eyes from his bare feet up to the ears on the top of his head. InuYasha felt himself tense up, instinctively waiting for the hanyou remarks, the snide comments.  
"He means," a new voice spoke, "that any Oni here can be dealt with."  
They all turned, to see a new comer walking towards them.  
He was tall, and slender. He wore armor of a dark green, almost as if of dark jade, but it was clear this was no stone but some sort of metal. Two long swords were strapped to his hips, and his hair was pulled back into a cluster of black braids, then pulled back yet again into a ponytail.  
His eyes were orange.  
InuYasha blinked. For a second, he thought the person standing before him was a demon, but he suddenly sensed that this was in fact a hanyou, like himself. Unlike InuYasha, however, the stranger had no real outward signs of being hanyou. He looked like a full blooded demon.  
"You take on Oni before?" InuYasha asked, to cover his uneasy sensation of being taken by surprise.  
"We have, yes. Several times."  
"We?" Kagome asked.  
The group turned, now looking even closer at the occupants of the village. There were humans there, yes, of various ages and sexes…..but there were hanyou as well.  
Some were elderly. Others were InuYasha's age. There were even a few small children, gazing up at InuYasha's group with a child's innocence. Everywhere they looked were odd features. Gills. Long pointed ears. Animal ears. Oddly coloured skin. Odd shapes and sizes. One was enormous, easily 8 feet tall, and heavily muscled. But Kagome could see he had a child's eyes, innocent and pure. She spoke in a shocked whisper, "You're….all….."  
"No," the old man said, laughing a little, "We're not. Some are. Some of us are demon, some are human. Most, however, are hanyou, like your friend there."  
"Where did you all come from?" Sango asked. It felt stupid the second it was out of her mouth, but the old leader answered kindly.  
"Well, many of them ran away from their old villages…..or were driven out. They were welcomed here. We have no concern about things like that here."  
"That's wonderful," Miroku said.  
The old man nodded, "You see, a long time ago, several hundred years ago, in fact, this village was tiny. It was basically just an old mud hole. A few things grew, but that was it. It was a place to survive, not live. We only thought about survival. Most of the first people who lived here were driven out of their old homes for various reasons. They were sick, or deformed. Some weren't very smart, and others had odd behaviors. People are afraid of what they do not understand." This last was said to InuYasha, who looked away, uneasy.  
The old man continued, "So as new people arrived, driven out, they asked to live here. And the ones who lived here said they could stay, but they had to contribute. Everyone can do something. The not-so-bright ones can still draw water for crops. The smarter ones who may be deformed can come up with ways of making more seed for bigger crops. The sickly ones who couldn't do much physical work could still guard the seedlings from small birds, or look after the very young children.  
In time, we grew. Demons joined us, as long as they were kind-hearted. And of course, life continues. People got married, and had children, so we grew even more. Some hanyou children were born. Sometimes hanyou came here looking to live with us. And so, after a while, it didn't matter to us. We are all together. We belong together. This is our village."  
Miroku, Sango, and Kagome smiled. But InuYasha paused, unsure. There was something odd in the last sentence the old man had said. Almost like a warning.  
"I can't help but notice your crops are doing so well in this dry period," Kagome said, "How on earth are you managing?"  
There was, for the first time, an uncomfortable pause, almost a sudden pause of everyone. The old man spoke, "Will you join us for the evening meal? We would love to have some company."  
InuYasha narrowed his eyes at the sudden change in conversation. By his friend's body language, they too suddenly felt uneasy. Somehow, something had changed.  
The old man sensed it as well, and he spoke gently, "Please….do not misunderstand us. We simply have a blessed spring, and it has not yet gone dry. But we worry, you see…."  
"Of course, I understand," Sango said quickly, "You're worried someone might come and drive you out by force for the water."  
"That will not happen," the older hanyou said. His voice was deep, and resolute. InuYasha found himself being studied closely by this man, and started to prickle.  
"We will certainly join you," Miroku said, startling them all, "And thank you for the invitation!"  
The old man smiled, and turned, walking away, followed closely by the two men accompanying him.  
"I can certainly understand them feeling uneasy," Sango said gently, "Water is starting to become a precious commodity. And I fear it's only going to get worse."  
"Indeed," Miroku agreed.  
"Alright!" the hanyou's voice cut through them all, "What the hell are you staring at?"  
They all turned to see InuYasha glaring at the older hanyou.  
"InuYasha," Kagome gently chided.  
"It is alright," the older hanyou said, "Your friend felt my scrutiny. He responds normally." He then turned his attention back to InuYasha, "You remind me of someone I know. A great Demon Lord. By name of Sesshomaru."  
InuYasha felt his hackles start to rise, "Oh yeah? Well if you're a friend of Sesshomaru's, don't think you're going to be a friend of mine!"  
The older hanyou said nothing for a second, then suddenly smiled. To Kagome, it was as if all tenseness drained away from his body. His smile was sincere, and genuine. And warming.  
"I said I knew Sesshomaru. I did not say he was a friend of mine. You are a relative?"  
"Yeah..." InuYasha said slowly. Kagome noticed that even _he_ seemed more at ease with the other one's smile. His body language relaxed slightly, "We're....related."  
"I am Tensio, and I welcome you to our village, small as it is."  
"Don't welcome us yet," InuYasha suddenly said, "We don't even know if we're staying."  
"InuYasha!" Kagome said, "Don't be rude!"  
"What, you think that just because some old guy invited us in we should spend the night? In case you've forgotten, Kaede is probably expecting us."  
"But you still-"  
"It is ok, young miss," Tensio said, "I do not take offense. It is the way of the hanyou to bristle, to question, to judge, to feel things out. We do not have it easy, and so we learn at a young age to put up walls. Besides....he cannot help it. A hanyou must always compare himself to others, to find their niche. It is....as breathing."  
There was a silence that creapt over the group. No one was sure just how to respond to that. Tensio broke the silence by suddenly bowing.  
"Please excuse me. It grows late, and I must return to hunting." He looked at InuYasha, "Please, consider yourself welcome here, young one."  
Tensio turned, and strode away from them with long, graceful strides. Kagome was struck by how like Sesshomaru this Tensio was. Except that in Tensio's presence you didn't feel a need to hold your tongue or lose it.  
"Well," Miroku said, "Let's go find that hut, shall we?"  
Kagome nodded. She turned to be sure InuYasha was following, and stopped. The hanyou was watching Tensio walk away with a strange expression on his face, an expression she hadn't seen in a very long time. InuYasha's face was open, no bluff or bravado msking it. He watched Tensio leave, looking, almost for a second, like he wanted to follow.  
"InuYasha?"  
"Huh? Oh...uh...yeah. Let's go."  
Kagome nodded, and turned to DarkWind, and got a second surprise.  
The Kageri seemed not to have heard the entire conversation whatso ever. He was standing still a little ways away from the group, staring out over a field with a distant look in his eye.  
"DarkWind?"  
He didn't move, seemed not to have heard her. Kagome walked towards the Kageri, and stopped, startled, when she saw his face had a look on utter longing on it. Blinking, she turned to follow his gaze.  
Several people were working in the fields, carrying water to the withering crops, in giant urns on their backs.  
In the middle of the field, gazing into a large urn of water, a tall woman stood there. Her hair was a lovely brown, almost the colour of chocolate. She was very slender, no buxom woman here, almost boyish in shape. Her hair was shoulder length, and hung free. One of the other men approached her, and spoke. She smiled at him, and spoke back, and the man bowed, smiling. The woman wore a very simple brown smock and sandals.  
She was dressed very plainly, even seemed plain from this distance, and yet there was something compelling about the woman. Kagome was reminded of a Asiatic lilly surrounded by weeds. It was strange, but it was very similar to the feeling she often got when around Izumi. And yet this woman didn't seem to exude a sense of goodness. Neither did she give off a bad feeling. She just....was.  
"DarkWind?"  
The Kageri blinked, and looked at Kagome. For a second there was no recognition in his eyes; he looked at her as if she were a complete stranger. He blinked again, and suddenly smiled.  
"Nushi! Come, we are being left behind!"  
He took her hand, and started to move forward, to follow the others. Kagome noticed that InuYasha had stopped a ways ahead, and was waiting for them.  
"DarkWind, wait. Who's that girl?"  
"Girl, Nushi?"  
Kagome turned, and pointed....but the woman in the field had vanished.  
"Yes, the woman who was just standing there! You were staring at her!"  
"I was merely watching the farmers water their crops, Nushi."  
"No! I saw her! The young woman...about my age, or..."  
"What's the holdup?" InuYasha called back to them.  
"Nothing!" DarkWind laughed, and moved forward, gently pulling Kagome along with him, "Come, Nushi, InuYasha-Warrior is waiting."  
Kagome glanced back at the field, but the woman failed to materialize. She gave up, walking with DarkWind towards the waiting hanyou.  
_What's with this village?_

They were shown to a small hut, and settled in. They were in their hut no more than a few minutes, when people began to search Miroku out, as usual. There were sicknesses to check, children to bless, marriages to consider. Miroku gladly went with them, chattering away as if he belonged there, making friends with his easy banter and warm smile. Kagome watched him go and felt a sisterly love for the young man.  
_Everyone likes Miroku. He's so kind._  
Sango settled in to check over her weapon. The battles over the last few days had left it in need of repair.  
Kagome found herself sitting in the hut, accompanied by an uneasy hanyou and a too-accomodating Kageri.  
"Would you like me to draw you some water for a bath, Nushi?"  
"No, thank you."  
"Something to eat?"  
"No, that's not-"  
"Leave her be," InuYasha snapped suddenly, "If she wants something, she'll ask."  
DarkWind fell silent.  
Kagome studied InuYasha's face, as the hanyou looked out the window. He was drilling his fingers over and over on the sill, twitching and tapping, in that way that Kagome knew so well. Impatient. Uneasy. Needing to do something to work off tension.  
_I know him so well,_ she thought, and suddenly pushed the thought from her mind. That way of thinking made her uneasy herself, as if she were standing on the rim of a crater she really didn't want to explore.  
DarkWind watched her quietly, uneasy himself. If only his Nushi could realize her true feelings....  
"I'm going out," InuYasha suddenly announced, startling them both.  
"Out where?" Kagome asked.  
InuYasha blinked, and turned to her. He pointed out the window, "There's only one out."  
Kagome flushed, feeling very stupid all of a sudden.  
DarkWind saw InuYasha pause, and hesitate, "Sorry, I just-"  
"No, it's ok, it was a dumb question, wasn't it?"  
There was silence for a moment. The Kageri saw something cross the hanyou's face like a breeze, a desire to say something. But it passed, and he turned, slipping outside. DarkWind mentally sighed. Kagome had turned from his attempts to reconcile so often, the hanyou no longer even really attempted.  
_I am going to have to do something, very soon._ he thought.

It was much later that the five of them met up again. Sanyo and Miroku had found each other, and were joining the others to eat in a large, general eating area. Kagome was a little surprised to see InuYasha walk into the large building, alongside Tensio. They seemed to be talking together, amicably.  
They all settled down to eat, and then some of the villagers began to perform for their guests. There were songs and stories, dances and plays. Some of the ladies seemed eager to involve the monk, but Miroku laughingly declined, stating he would much rather watch the people perform than marr it with his own poor actions.  
Kagome leaned over to InuYasha, and whispered lowly, "Can I ask what you and Tensio were talking about, or is it private?"  
InuYasha blinked at Kagome, then shrugged, "We were just talking about Oni, and how to handle them."  
"Oh." Kagome found she had, for some reason, been hoping it had been something a little more interesting than that. But all the same, it was very nice to see him talking to someone other than their little group.  
The songs continued, and then the dancing began again. It was halfway through the third song that a scream rang out, and everyone stopped.  
"Invaders!" someone yelled from outside, "Attackers!"  
Everyone bolted from their chairs. Most of the women, the children, and the elderly were whisked away into another room, while several large, strong men and male hanyou took up defensive positions at the door. The others ran outside, brandishing weapons, some a part of their own bodies.  
Kagome caught up with the others outside, to see what appeared to be a huge group of men, standing just outside the fence of the village. There were enough there to be a small army.  
The old man, the speaker for the village, stepped forward. Kagome saw that Tensio stood just behind him, towering over the stooped man, a long katana in his hand. The resemblance, again, to Sesshomaru was uncanny. This time his face was not friendly nor peaceful, but tense and wary.  
"Who are you," the old man asked, "Who has come to our peaceful village with weapons drawn?"  
"We want these lands, old fart," the apparent leader of the army said. He held a long, savage looking sword with a serrated edge and a hooked tip. Kagome shuddered to think of what that blade would do if thrust into someone's body.  
"You cannot have them," the old man said calmly, "We live here. We will offer you food and some water if you have a pressing need."  
"You will offer us _nothing_!" the leader howled, "We take what we want, and we want it all! Bring out your women first, so that we may choose from them who will warm our beds tonight!" Behind him, his men howled in glee, and shook their weapons.  
The old man sighed, and looked over his shoulder at Tensio. Tensio nodded, and now spoke.  
"We offer you one chance to leave here. We will not pursue if you leave now. But know that if you do not leave at this moment, we _will_ kill you."  
There was a pause. A man leaned over to the army leader, and spoke lowly. InuYasha's sensitive ears, however, caught what he said.  
"That's a demon, boss. And the rumors are true, I can see other demons here. And hanyou. Maybe we should skip this place."  
Tensio, his ears no less sensitive than InuYasha's, nodded, and spoke, "He is wise. We are indeed demons, and hanyou. We will fight to protect what is ours."  
"I do not care! I am Sutmoshio, the famed demon-killer! I have killed many like you, demon! I have their ears on a necklace I wear at home! I chew them up and spit them out!"  
"You talk pretty big for a human!" a familiar voice rang through Kagome's ears, and she inwardly cringed. InuYasha continued, "I'm havin' a real hard time seeing you as a killer of anything, except maybe insects!" Kagome couldn't help the sour look Tensio cast towards InuYasha. InuYasha, however, missed it.  
"And you talk pretty big too, puppy! Those ears would look as the centerpiece of my necklace!"  
Tensio tried to regain control of the situation, "I warn you one last time. Leave this place now. We will not fight you if we do not have to."  
"Enough of this talking!" Sutmoshio roared, "We are taking what we want!"  
Tensio's voice rang out clearly, "Take them then, my people! Try to save the horses, for they are innocent."  
With a sudden roar that actually caught Kagome by surprise, the demons and hanyou, and even many of the humans that lived in the village lunged forward as if one, and Kagome suddenly found herself right in the middle of a battle.  
InuYasha was cut off from her by a surging crowd, but she heard him call her name in panic. Gritting her teeth, she pulled free her own sword, and took up a battle stance.  
"Are you crazy!" came a voice from behind her, and she found herself yanked backwards by InuYasha, "This isn't the place for you to fight! One on one, not a free for all!"  
With a muttered curse, InuYasha pushed Kagome free from the surging crowd, and hollared to the Kageri, "Take her up, get her out!"  
"You can't just-!" Kagome suddenly felt herself grabbed and hoisted up into the Kageri's arms, and then they were airborn, floating above the crowd.  
"DarkWind, put me down!"  
"I do not think this is a good place for you, Nushi," the Kageri apologised, "InuYasha-Warrior is right. You are a good fighter one on one, but this is a mob, and you would not survive."  
She fumed.

Down in the battle, Miroku, Sango, and InuYasha found themselves in the midst of a large battle, with humans, demons, and hanyou on all sides. For InuYasha, it was a chance to release his tension, by throwing himself into the fight. It was strange, however, to find himself fighting alongside demons, not against them.  
Screams, howls, roars of rage. Blood flew. Talons ripped. At one point Miroku saw what appeared to be a small old woman suddenly grow in size until she was huge, turning a bright red, muscles popping out all over her. With a savage snarl, she grabbed up a human in armor and pulled him apart with her bare hands.  
Another person, this one a demon, ran at one of the mercenaries, yelling. Before the monk could shout a warning, the mercenary ran the man through with a long blade. But instead of crumpling, the man seemed to straighten, and before Miroku's eyes, the man turned into stone. The sword, still embedded in his stomach, was pulled from the hands of the mercenary. The mercenary let out a yelp of fear, and turned and ran, the stone-man thudding after him.  
InuYasha used the flat of his blade as often as possible, still not wanting to shed human blood. But more and more often, he found himself unable to drive them away, send them back, and in a short while, the edge of the Tetsusaiga became coated in blood. He wrinked his nose, trying not to smell the scent, telling himself he was being given no choice.  
All in all, the battle was rather short, the remaining mercenaries began to turn tail and run.  
"They must not get away!" Tensio called out, "Catch them!"  
The demons and hanyou surged after the fleeing humans.  
Kagome, watching it all from above, suddenly felt DarkWind stiffen. She looked back to him, to find his eyes cast down, away from the majority of the battle.  
A lone woman was running swiftly over the ground.  
The same woman she had seen before, the one who had vanished.  
The woman seemed to be flying over the ground, only touching the ground every short while. Her long brown hair streamed out behind her, and she was moving swiftly through the area, running in a curve, aiming to catch up to the head of the fleeing mercenaries.  
"DarkWind? Who is that?"  
"I.."  
Kagome blinked, leaning over a little more, looking down, "DarkWind! She's going to run into the mercenaries! We have to stop her!"  
"No Nushi," DarkWind's voice was quiet, "She is in no danger."  
Kagome blinked, looking back up at DarkWind, "You _do_ know her, don't you?"  
DarkWind nodded. Kagome was about to say more, but there was a strange, soft look on the Kageri's face that made her catch her tongue. She felt an odd catch inside her. Whoever this person was, she was important to the Kageri, somehow.  
"Come Nushi," he said, "The battle is over. Let us join our friends."  
Kagome wanted to ask him more, but fell silent. Later, perhaps.  
They lowered until DarkWind deposited Kagome on the ground. She ran ahead to catch up to her friends who were watching the demons and other hanyou round up the mercenaries.  
"What are they going to do to them?" Sanyo asked, hesitantly.  
"I'm not sure," Miroku said lowly, starting to walk towards the group, "They can't let such a group go. They will surely gather more soldiers and come back."  
"Are they going to kill them?" Kagome asked, uneasily.  
"I don't know."  
Several minutes later, they caught up to the group. The villagers had surrounded the few remaining men, holding out their weapons, keeping them together. The mercenaries looked terrified, and angry.  
InuYasha pushed through the crowd, making room for the others, "What's going on here?"  
Tensio looked at InuYasha. The tall hanyou was standing just before the others, his sword at his side, but obviously ready should the captives try anything, "We have to decide what to do with them?"  
"Kill us, then!" one of the men, fusious but with terror in his eyes, "Don't draw it out!"  
"We do not want to kill you," spoke a soft-faced young woman, with horns growing from her temples, "But can we trust you?"  
One of the other men snorted.  
InuYasha tensed his hand on his sword hilt. He wasn't sure what to do. What else could the villagers do?  
"I will speak to them," came a soft voice.  
There was a pause, and then the crowd parted.  
A slender woman stepped forward, out of the shadows, and Kagome blinked.  
It was the woman from the field, the one she had seen running along the ground.  
Tensio spoke gently, "Are you certain?"  
She nodded, stepping forward. Now that she was closer, Kagome could see that she was extraordinarily beautiful, her brown hair long and hanging at her back. Her eyes were deep and dark, but they seemed to glow. A strange shadow fell over one cheek, almost like a faded scar.  
"You should not have come out," spoke another woman, "We have newcomers."  
The woman nodded, and then turned, looking directly at DarkWind. She studied him in silence for a second, a soft look coming over her face. She spoke then, in a language Kagome had never heard before. She asked the Kageri something, and after a second, DarkWind nodded.  
The woman nodded again, and turned, looking back to the captives.  
She smiled, and it was like the night warmed. Her smile was so sweet, so kind.  
"You must not speak of what you have seen here," the young woman said, gently, "It is very important."  
"Oh yeah?" one of the men said, "Why shouldn't we just come back here and kill you all in your sleep?"  
"You will not do that," she said, softly, "You don't want anything here. We have nothing. We are poor, and a small, dirty village. The people here are stupid, and useless. You are sorry you even came this way, especially after the Oni came upon you while you and your friends were sleeping. The Oni was large, and mean, and ugly. He used his club, and killed your friends. You yourselves only managed to escape by falling into a river when the cliff ledge gave way under his weight. You all swam to shore, but your friends were dead, and there was nothing you could do, so you returned to your camp. You also realized that any time you have to kill someone, or hurt someone, or steal something, that you will remember the Oni, remember the fear that you felt."  
Kagome had at first blinked at the young woman, not sure what she was doing, especially insulting her own village that way. But when she looked back at the captives, she saw that they all looked dull-eyed, and had fallen still. Their weapons had fallen from their hands to thud on the ground.  
_She hypnotized them! With her voice!_  
"Now," she said again, "You will turn, and walk back to the river a short ways from here. When you get there, you will remember the Oni, and what happened. You will see you are wet, and cold, and you will leave and head back to whatever small camp you have near here. There you will build a fire to dry off, and sleep. In the morning, you will head back to your main camp, and you will never want to come here again. Ever."  
"Ever." The man agreed in a faint voice. He, and the others, silently turned, and began to walk. The crowd parted for them to pass through, and they all watched in silence as the men walked down the path, and out of sight, never looking back to speaking to each other.  
When they had passed from sight, the others sighed in relief, and then looked back to the young woman.  
Kagome saw she suddenly looked tired and drained. Tensio stepped forward, and laid a hand on her shoulder, "That was very well. Now you must rest."  
"Yes, Tensio," she nodded, and smiled at him.  
She turned then, and began to walk back toward the village, the others falling into step behind her. They spoke quietly to each other, murmuring.  
InuYasha watched them go, then turned to the others, "What the hell just happened?"  
"I think she hypnotised them," Miroku said, "But I didn't see any slight of hand or anything such as that."  
"I think it was her voice," Kagome said, "It happened when she was talking to them."  
"Can you do that?" Sango asked, "Just talk?"  
DarkWind broke in, "She can." The Kageri was standing alongside Kagome, but was looking back towards where the villagers were departing.  
"What do you mean, she can?" InuYasha asked.  
"She has the ability to hypnotise humans with her voice. That is one of her abilities. That and the power of water."  
"Power of water?" Miroku asked.  
"Hang on," InuYasha suddenly asked, "You know her?"  
"Yes," DarkWind said softly. A breeze sprang up, tugging at his clothing, almost taking the words from his mouth before they could be heard, "I know her. She used to be Kageri." 


	3. Chapter 3

  
They were gathered back at their little hut, sitting around a small, central fire. It was too warm to have it lit, but too dark to not have one, so they made it small, and sat back until it was comfortable.  
"What do you mean, used to be?" Sango asked softly.  
"You see that the mark upon her face has faded out. She has lost her full powers, and now only has a small portion of them. I doubt she can even fly now."  
Kagome watched the Kageri. DarkWind's face was half hidden in shadows as he sat beside her, gazing into the fire. He seemed almost lost, and for some reason, it bothered her.  
"I didn't think that Kageri could just leave their ways behind like that."  
"It's not as simple as that," DarkWind murmured.  
InuYasha leaned forward, his golden eyes bright in the firelight, "Then what _is_ it like?"  
"I...cannot speak of it," DarkWind said, closing his eyes.  
InuYasha bristled, "Oh yeah? You're going to find that you _can_ speak of it, DarkFace. I wanna know how you can just lose powers?"  
"You do not understand," DarkWind said, a little more firmly. He opened his eyes, gazing back at InuYasha. Kagome was deeply aware of the scene before her: InuYasha, bright and vivid, silver hair, golden eyes almost glowing, and DarkWind, as dark as the hanyou was bright, his own reddish eyes glowing in the low light. A strange sensation came over her, as if none of it was real, as if she were looking at a painting.  
"Try me," InuYasha almost growled.  
"There is a geis put upon me. I may not talk of these things."  
"A geis?"  
"A....command, that I simply cannot refuse. It has nothing to do with what I do or do not wish, but that it is a part of my very soul."  
He turned suddenly, looking at Kagome, "Forgive me, Nushi. I would share this with you, if I could."  
Kagome nodded softly. She could feel the Kageri's struggle to speak of these things....that they were, in fact, burdening him. But it was as if he were encased in concrete, unable to move, to speak. She remembered the command placed upon her by Gemu, the time he stole her soul, and how she could not speak of it, even though she desperately wanted to.  
InuYasha grunted, and leaned back, looking back into the fire.  
Kagome looked at DarkWind, and spoke mentally.  
_That other woman...the one who used to be Kageri....you know her, don't you?_  
_Yes, Nushi, I do._  
Kagome suddenly felt strong emotions, almost overpowering, sweep over her. She bit her tongue to keep from saying anything. But she suddenly remembered the Kageri speaking to her one time, as they both sat upon a rock.  
_"Have you ever been in love, DarkWind?"  
"Yes, Nushi. Once. A very long time ago."_  
Kagome looked back to the fire, _This is her. I know it. I can feel it._  
There was an uncomfortable silence in the small hut. DarkWind was somber, and as a result, so was Kagome. Which made InuYasha uneasy. And Miroku and Sangro were left not knowing what they should do or say.  
They were saved by a light knocking on the doorframe of their house. Sango rose, and walked over, pushing back the curtain, to reveal Tensio standing there.  
"Oh...good evening."  
"And to you, miss. I have come to ensure you have settled in properly. All is well?"  
"Oh yes, thank you."  
"How is your hanyou friend? He seemed very....eager to fight."  
Kagome blushed a little, "InuYasha's like that."  
"As are we all. I was, until I grew out of it. Perhaps he will too."  
Kagome and Sango lightly laughed, unable to see InuYasha behaving any differently.  
"May I ask how long you have all known him?"  
"A little over a year now," Kagome said, "At least for me. About a year for the others."  
"So you did not grow up together."  
"That's right."  
"It is interesting. You all seem to have a very close bond."  
"We do," Sango said, and Kagome could hear the pride in her friend's voice, "We are like family now. InuYasha is like a brother to me, and I know I am as a sister to him."  
Tensio nodded. He turned his gaze for a second, and gazed at Kagome in silence. Kagome looked back, growing confused. She was about to say something, anything, to ease the tension, when he spoke.  
"I am sorry you had to witness that today. Usually we do not have such a large group of men attacking like that. Occasionally, one or two might appear, but...."  
Kagome rose, and walked over to speak to him. She stood beside him, again aware of just how tall he was, and spoke softly, "I...um....don't want to appear nosy, but...that woman..."  
"Ah. Yes. I....hope we can count on your kindness not to spread her existance about?"  
"What's her name?"  
Tensio paused, and then spoke gently, "It is best you do not know. There are those...well...I'm sure you understand, having a Kageri of your own."  
Kagome nodded, thinking, _So they know what she is. Or was._  
"She wishes only to live in peace, now, but that is not always possible. Her enemies are growing."  
"Enemies?" Kagome asked, growing worried, "Are you sure she's ok?"  
"Yes, as long as she is in hiding. That is why it is best you do not know her name. Even accidentally spilled....or pulled from your lips...."  
"We understand," Sango said quietly.  
Tensio turned, as if to go, then paused, and looked back at Kagome.  
"Is it true?" he asked her, in a subdued voice, "Is that the one known on this plane as DarkWind?"  
Kagome blinked, startled from her thoughts for a second, "Uh...yes. Do you know him?"  
"She has spoken much of him. You are very lucky to have gained his agreement and bonding."  
He bowed to her, and then wishing them both good night, turned, and walked back towards the other huts, dissapearing into the darkness.  
The two women watched him go, then looked at each other.  
"What did that mean?" Sango asked.  
"I have no idea." Kagome answered.  
"He spoke as if DarkWInd is someone...important."  
"Important to her, perhaps. That woman. Sango, I think....they were in love once. Maybe still are."  
"Oh Kagome."  
Kagome sighed.  
"Come on," Sango said gently, "Let's get back to the others. It's late."

The next morning, most of the villagers were up to see them off. In such a very short time, they had gained the trust of the villagers, and Sango thought it was very likely if they had stayed another day, they would have made some very good friends.  
"I'm actually regretting leaving this place," Miroku said, "It seems a very peaceful village to stay."  
"Yes," Kagome nodded, "We need to come back and visit when we can." _And so I can find out more about that woman._  
They picked up their things, and started down the path, leaving the little village behind. Kagome looked up at the sky above. The sun was blazing hot, the sky an amazing blue. But it was hard to enjoy it, knowing that water was starting to become scarce. When would it rain again?  
"InuYasha."  
She lowered her head, to see Tensio standing alongside the path. His orange eyes were settled on InuYasha. For a second Kagome's heart pounded; the older hanyou had walked up to the path so silently.  
InuYasha gazed at him curiously, and Kagome was very pleased to see there was no unease about his body.  
"Yeah?"  
"Please, may I speak with you a moment, in private?"  
"Uhhh...." looking confused, InuYasha looked first to Kagome. She paused, realizing he was, in essence, asking if she was ok with it.  
It was not lost on Tensio.  
Kagome nodded faintly, and InuYasha approached Tensio. The taller hanyou turned slightly, leading InuYasha a few paces away from the path. Kagome and the others moved to the other side of the path, to give them some privacy.  
"InuYasha. I want you to know that I enjoyed speaking with you the other day. You remind me very much of myself. The Elder has asked me to let you know that you are welcome in our village any time you wish."  
InuYasha blinked, unsure of what to say. He had never really been _invited_ anywhere before, and he suddenly found he had no words.  
"I...uh....thanks. Really. It's....nice. Thanks."  
Tensio smiled, but his gaze sharpened a little, intensified. He spoke, but his voice was now a little lower.  
"InuYasha. As I have said....you remind me a great deal of myself. So I wish to give you a warning."  
InuYasha suddenly started to prickle, "Oh yeah?"  
"For your sake.....say goodbye to your friends, and leave them. Especially Kagome."  
It was so unexpected, InuYasha found himself only able to gawk at Tensio. He had been expecting a warning to behave, to not be so aggressive, something to do with himself. Not them.  
Anger stirred, "Oh? Why? You gonna tell me I'm not good for them? Or them for me? Well you can save it. I've had all that told to me before. Humans will never understand me. Humans will never accept me. Well you're wrong. _They've_ accepted me. _They_ understand me. Just because you had a bad deal with them, doesn't mean everyone is. And what the hell is your problem? You _live_ with humans, and hanyou!"  
"You do not understand," Tensio said gently, but his eyes had changed. No longer piercing, they seemed sorrowful. As if pitying InuYasha. And for some reason, it made InuYasha afraid.  
"I know that they understand you. I know that they accept you. I, too, had friends who took me into their lives and their hearts and their souls as family. And I loved them the same way. I....too....had a woman I loved. A human woman."  
"So?"  
"InuYasha....how old are you?"  
InuYasha frowned, "What?"  
"Did you have a long childhood, or a short one?"  
"Well..long, but I don't-"  
"You know, as I do, that hanyou age in two different ways. Either a short childhood and long adulthood, or the opposide. Like me, you aged as a child over a very long time. This does not mean, InuYasha, that you will age as a human. You will still have at least another 200 years, probably more, before you are old."  
"So?"  
Tensio spoke very gently, "Your friends will have, roughly, 70 years to them. That is all."  
InuYasha fell silent, quietly startled. He had known, of course, that humans had short lives, but to have the actual number shoved in his face.  
"70? But..."  
"No buts, InuYasha. I am cruel, because you need to understand. What will happen to you, as you watch your friends grow old, and wither, and die? You will lose them all, InuYasha, and there will be no monster to fight, no demon or Oni to slay to save them. You will watch the woman you love grow stooped, thin, sickly, frail, and then die. While you appear as nothing more than a full grown man. Perhaps you will begin to look in your 40's when she is 90. Or even 50. But you will only begin to grow gray when she can not hear, when she is full of aches and pains from old age.  
InuYasha....are you strong enough for that?"  
InuYasha looked at Tensio with wide eyes, suddenly shocked into silence. Was that all? Was that _all_? _70 years at the most?_ He knew they would not live as long, but he had never really stopped and forced himself to face it this way. Miroku...Sango.....and Kagome. Old. Stooped and weak.  
"You will bury them, InuYasha," Tensio said, almost a whisper, "And you will be alone."  
"Stop it!"  
Across the path, the others turned, worried, hearing his outbreak.  
InuYasha was trembling, "Shut up," he hissed, "Just shut up."  
"You have to face it, InuYasha," Tensio said gently, sadly, "I had to do it. And I still am. Even today, I bury those I loved, the humans. And sometimes the hanyou. Save yourself from the pain, young one. Part from them while they are still young and healthy and happy, so you may always carry those memories of them with you, and find some hanyou friends."  
InuYasha glared at Tensio, wishing he could somehow force the other hanyou to take back his words.  
"Choose, InuYasha. Choose wisely. One choice will give you grief now, and the other will give you greater grief later."  
Tensio turned, and walked back towards the village.  
Kagome walked over to InuYasha, as he stood, staring at the other hanyou.  
"InuYasha?" Kagome asked gently, "Are you ok?"  
"I'm fine," he growled, "Let's just go."  
She watched, sadly, as InuYasha stomped on ahead of them, down the path. Sighed silently, she started to follow.

END 


End file.
